Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1878 — “ I Know All About You, Capt. Dennis.” [ARTICLE]

“ I Know All About You, Capt. Dennis.”

Of all the persons who have given testimony concerning the frauds in Louisiana and Florida, Dennis seems to have had no motive to testify untruthfully. Some of the “ squealers” have involved themselves in tangled nets in which they have been convicted, not only of inexplicable contradictions, but have laid bare a personal animus concealing a little disappointment. Dennis’ testimony there is neither an intrinsic nor extrinsic reason to doubt. He had “ been taken care of.” He wanted less than he got. He wished to work and to be paid for it; he was paid handsomely for doing nothing, and his only complaint, if he made any, was that the administration insisted on supporting him in luxurious but disagreeable idleness. The manner of Dennis’ employment, told by him with great simplicity, and with unfeigned anxiety not to censure Ms. Hayes, is one of the most explicit of many of the condemnations

which the latter has placed upon his own professions of civil-service reform. It is a fundamental principle of civil service that fi’ness for specific duty shall be the prime reason for appointment under the Government. When Dennis called on the President, the latter said to him: “ I know all about yen, '"’apt. Dennis.” What did he know? That Dennis was a linguist, and would he useful in the State Department ? No, Dennis’ literary attainments are limited to one language, and are meager in that. That he was familiar with army matters, and would do good work in the War Department? There was no pretense of that, on either side. He was not an expert in anything. There was no reason for his appointment so far a« intellectual qualifications went. The President did not profess to be misinformed; he added: “You are one of the few men whom this administration can afford to take care of.” Why? Simplv because he had rendered effective service in defeating the wishes of the people of his State in their choice of Presidential electors. For this reason, and this only, Mr. Hayes considered Dennis “ one of the few men whom this administration can fff>rd to take care of.” The President made a personal request of Secretary Sherman to give Dennis “the first good place,” and subsequently wrote to Sherman that Dennis would make “ a capital special agent of the treasury,” although the duties special agents are called upon to perform require sagacitv, experience, and technical knowledge of treasury workings. It was evident, however, that Capt. Dennis was not expected to do any work. Sherman had friends of his own for the vacancies in several of the divisions, and Dennis, although as ignorant of architecture as a mnle, was made assistant to the Supervising Archih ct, with a salary of $7 a day. He had nothing to do; he could do nothing. He was expected to do nothing. But this is a civil-service reform administration I He was given a leave of absence —perhaps on account of his long and ardent toilor for some other reason,’and went visiting to Massachusetts, where he remained three months, drawing $7 a day, Supervising Architect Hill doubtless signing the pay-roll which lyingly declared that this man was giving the people of the United States an equivalent for their money. Dennis grew tired of idleness, went back to Washington, was given a commission in the Secret-Service Bureau, although who’ly unfitted for its duties, and went home to Florida, with nothing to do except charge the Government his expenses, and continue to draw his pay. Then he was transferred to the Internal Revenue Bureau, although innocent of all knowledge of the Revenue laws, and his pay went on regularly as usual. He, therefore, had every reason to thank Mr. Hayes, and no reason whatever to testify to aught which would reflect on the President or his advisers. On the contrary, he had the strongest motives for coloring his testimony in the'oitseueßß SJ • vVedmiV or the visiting investigating committee, and as soon as his description of tne manner in which the electoral vote of Florida was stolen for Hayes reached Washington he was notified —but not until then that his pay should be forthwith stopped., “1 know all about you, Capt. Deems,” was a most unfortunate speech for the President to make, since all that he could know about Dennis was his part in the coir option of that scandalous period. “You are one of the few men whom this administration can afford to take care of ” is still more unfortunate, in view of the indefensible manner in which the President proceeded to take care of him. — Chicago limes.